1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical image diagnostic system that has an order issuance support function performed by using a diagnostic reading report.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, issuance of an order (an inspection request) in a Radiology Information System (RIS) is executed by a physician in charge who acquires information from a Hospital Information System (HIS) and inputs necessary matters while referring to a diagnostic reading report and the like. An engineer or the like who operates a medical image diagnostic apparatus determines a photographing range, photographing conditions, and the like on the basis of contents of the order issued and executes necessary collection of images. A diagnostic reading doctor compares, for example, for the purpose of observation of progresses, acquired images with images and the like acquired in the last inspection and uses the images for preparation of a report on the inspection. In recent years, as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2003-164442, there is also proposed a system that reads out, in issuing an order for the same region of the same patient, an order used at the time of photographing of images in the past and uses the order for the present issuance of an order.
However, in acquiring medical images using an order issued by the conventional system, for example, there are the following problems.
First, there is little information concerning photographing in contents included in the conventional order. Therefore, it may be difficult for a doctor and an engineer in charge of collection of images to judge under what kinds of conditions image collection should be performed.
Second, in the conventional issuance of an order, many items are selected or inputted by manual operation. Therefore, a wrong order may be issued because of an operation mistake. In such a case, an acquired image is different from an intended image. In particular, in the case of an inspection for observation of progresses, it is desired that an order issued is reproduction of photographing conditions and the like used in the last inspection. However, when the present inspection is not consistent with the last inspection because of an operation mistake or discrepancy in selection of conditions, it is impossible to compare diagnostic reading with that in the last inspection. If re-inspection is performed, a patient is force to be subjected to unnecessary exposure to radiation.
Third, information necessary for photographing is not always included in an order. Therefore, even when an order used at the time of photographing of images in the past is used, information necessary for photographing may not be obtained, making it difficult to judge under what kinds of conditions image collection should be performed.
Under the present circumstances, as measures against these problems, an engineer or the like in charge of photographing refers to a diagnostic reading report (a reference report) or an image (a reference image) forming a basis of creation of the order and, if necessary, obtains confirmation of a physician in charge, who issued the order, to perform photographing and the like while supplementing insufficient information. However, these measures impose heavy burden on the engineers or the like in charge of photographing and deteriorates efficiency of work because certain length of time is required in carrying out the measures.